Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011 Nov;65(11):1030-5. doi: 10.1136/jech.2010.117705. Epub 2011 Apr 6.
Life expectancy gaps between Eastern and Western Europe are well reported with even larger variations in healthy life years (HLY).
To compare European countries with respect to a wide range of health expectancies based on more specific measures that cover the disablement process in order to better understand previous inequalities.
Health expectancies at age 50 by gender and country using Sullivan's method were calculated from the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe Wave 2, conducted in 2006 in 13 countries, including two from Eastern Europe (Poland, the Czech Republic). Health measures included co-morbidity, physical functional limitations (PFL), activity restriction, difficulty with instrumental and basic activities of daily living (ADL), and self-perceived health. Cluster analysis was performed to compare countries with respect to life expectancy at age 50 (LE50) and health expectancies at age 50 for men and women.
In 2006 the gaps in LE50 between countries were 6.1 years for men and 4.1 years for women. Poland consistently had the lowest health expectancies, however measured, and Switzerland the greatest. Polish women aged 50 could expect 7.4 years fewer free of PFL, 6.2 years fewer HLY, 5.5 years less without ADL restriction and 9.5 years less in good self-perceived health than the main group of countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden).
Substantial inequalities between countries were evident on all health expectancies. However, these differed across the disablement process which could indicate environmental, technological, healthcare or other factors that may delay progression from disease to disability.
东欧和西欧的预期寿命差距已有大量报道，而健康预期寿命（HLY）的差异更大。
根据更具体的涵盖残疾过程的指标，比较欧洲各国的广泛健康预期寿命，以便更好地理解先前的不平等现象。
利用 Sullivan 方法，根据 2006 年在 13 个国家（包括两个东欧国家波兰和捷克共和国）进行的欧洲健康、退休和老龄化调查第二波的数据，计算了 50 岁时按性别和国家划分的健康预期寿命。健康指标包括合并症、身体功能受限（PFL）、活动受限、日常生活活动（ADL）中工具性和基础性活动的困难程度以及自我感知健康。聚类分析用于比较各国 50 岁时的预期寿命（LE50）和男性和女性 50 岁时的健康预期寿命。
2006 年，男性的 LE50 差距为 6.1 岁，女性为 4.1 岁。波兰在所有健康预期寿命的衡量指标中始终处于最低水平，而瑞士则处于最高水平。50 岁的波兰女性预计 PFL 自由期减少 7.4 年，HLY 减少 6.2 年，ADL 限制减少 5.5 年，自我感知健康良好的时间减少 9.5 年，比主要国家（奥地利、比利时、丹麦、法国、德国、意大利、荷兰、西班牙、瑞典）。
所有健康预期寿命都存在明显的国家间不平等。然而，这些差异存在于残疾过程中，这可能表明环境、技术、医疗保健或其他因素可能会延迟疾病向残疾的发展。
